Monday, April 21, 2014

Week #60 The Power of Prayer

Hola Querido's!!!

First off, Happy Easter to everyone!! I hope and pray that
it was a beautiful, reverent Easter for all involved :) Sometimes, on holidays
such as these, I have a hope that there will be a music number or choir
involved since the music brings such a spirit to the hymns, but no such luck.
Then again, that might be better off since there are very few people here in
Argentina who have the ability to actually sing in key, haha :) At the beginning of my
mission, I started giggling during Sacrament meeting many times
because of the 200 part harmony going on, total accidental :) I`ve gotten a
little better and now manage to hold the giggles to a minimum... Most of the time :)

This past week was a wonderful one here on my side of the
country! Couple fun facts?

1) We were walking through a poorer area of Alberdi this
last week, when I noticed a really strange, ugly looking animal on the
side of the road. We got a little closer and I realized it was a huge, really
dirty, slightly scary looking.. sheep. Haha :) I have no idea whose it is, but
I asked a member, and they told me that one of their neighbors has it has a
pet, and it just runs wild through the neighborhood. I thought about trying to
take a picture to show you all, it was so hilarious to me, but decided it
probably wouldn't be too good to bring a camera through that part of town. So,
you`ll just have to use your imagination :)

2) Hna Courtney Smith, this ones for you! this last week, I
was in a lesson when a song came on in the other room - 'time to say goodbye`!!
I had flashbacks of Winchester, smiled and thought of you :)

3) We also ate with our neighbors this last week, the wife
is from Brazil! for Brayden, Mason, Jacob and the other 20 friend of mine who
have all served in Brazil (no, but seriously, that's the place to be) and Taylor
who is there right now, you might recognize the food. We had fejuada con farina
as well? Basically, a rice and black beans with a whole lot of (mystery) meat,
and some farina on top - it looked like corn meal? It was pretty good, though I
was a little wary of the meat, haha :)

4) We are moving this week! Seems that even from USA, my
family is contagious :) We will be moving to a bigger apartment so that we have
room to live with the two new hermanas who will live with us, but work in
a different area - La Florida We are excited! Mainly because a new apartment
means new things! And all I know, is that if I cook another day in this frying
pan that we have, I`ll probably be eating more metal than food with all that
flakes off while you are cooking, haha :) I`ll send fotos next week!

I have been learning so much this last transfer about my
Savior. Especially about the power of prayer! That is a byproduct of feeling
the Spirit - we are touched by the presence of our Father, and something within
us yearns to further that relationship. I have been studying much about prayer,
and specifically thinking about the power of asking in prayer. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but
to secure for ourselves and others blessings that God is already willing to
grant by that are made conditional upon our asking for it. (BD) Many times, I think I use prayer as a laundry list of things
that I would like to have, without really deeply preparing and realizing that I
am talking with the same Being who created the world in which I reside and
the body with which I am speaking. When we really begin to understand the
nature of God, we begin to understand our own nature as His children. He wishes to grant us blessings and to help us, but many times,
withholds these blessings simply because we do not ask for them, with the
sincerity and faith necessary for them to be granted. There are numerous scriptures in
which He commands us to ask Him, yet again showing His disposition to grant
these blessings if we but ask. Even repentance and forgiveness is dependent
upon our own asking for it. Matthew 7:7-8, Matt 7:11, James 1:5-6, Mosiah 4:10. All
scriptures that speak of this principle of `prayer`. One of my favorites is 1 Ne
15:8-9,11, where we see the example and difference of a family conversation
with 3 different brothers. Two of whom- Laman and Lemuel - lacked this faith,
and didn't even have the belief to ask. This is paralleled with Nephi, and the
bounteous blessings and revelations that he received simply because he
asked.

9 And they said unto me: aWe have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.

11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in bfaith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments,surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Also, I am attaching a talk that I read this last week that
really helped me learn and apply this principle - of how to better my
communication with Him.

I love you all! I love hearing from you, even though I know
you are all passing through difficult moments right now. We are all called to
pass through difficulties, even though they may be different from one another.
trials of faith, of obedience, of health? All things that I know each one of us
are called to pass through in some moments. However, just as surely as I know
that this gospel is true, I know that if we turn to Him, he will help us. He
has promised his angels to lift us up, and He always keeps his word.

I love you, I pray for you, and I know that through our
earnest and sincere prayer, we can receive the help we need to move forward,
and to move forward with increased faith :)

These are just a few of the topic addressed. If you have any questions, please visit this website or request to meet with the LDS missionaries serving in your area (similar to how I'll be serving in Argentina), who will provide reliable and true answers to any questions you may have. You can request to meet with LDS missionaries HERE: